Improvement in balanced valves



W. HARDWICK. 4IBALANCEDJ/HLVES.

` No. 194,147. I Patented -Aug. 14`, 1877.:

UNITED "STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM` HARDWICK, ERIE, PENNSYLYANIA. Y

`IMPROVEMENTlN BALANED V'LVES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 134,141, dated August`14, 1877 application led J une 20, 1877.

To all whom t mag/,concerm Be it known that I, WILLIAM HAnDwIoK, of thecity and county of Erie, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a newand Improved Balanced Valve; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and` exact description of the same, reference beinghadto the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciiication.

Figure l isa transverse section of an oscillating valve through the linew of Fig. 2, with the steam-chest in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section ofthe same through the line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a sectional view of a slide-valve, showing the application of part ofmy improvements to the same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in valves of that class inwhich the two parts of the valve are made adjustable toward or from eachother. Said improvements consist in the particular arrangement of aperforated bolt, connecting opposite chambers in the valve and passingdirectly through the valve-rod; in the arrangement of a stuffingboX forconnecting the bolt and the valve; and in the particular arrangement ofsprings in connection with the bolt and the two parts of the valve, forthe purpose of holding the latter in proper position, as hereinaftermore fully described.

In the drawing, A A' are the two parts of the valve, which parts areformed with the inwardlyprojecting parallel lugs a al, forming yokes,which pass the one into the other, to guide the parts in theiradjustment. The said parts A A of the valve are each formed withsymmetrical chambers B B', and are adjusted toward each other by meansof a bolt, C. This bolt is perforated longitudinally from end to end, soas to open communication between the chambers B B. It is attached to thepart A of the valve by means of a screwthread, a, upon its lowerextremity, and is loosely connected with a corresponding part of theupper portion of the valve by means of a stuffing-box and collar. Thestuing-box is formed by means of a bushing, b, connected with the valveby a screw-thread, and an annular adjustable cap, c, which screws intothe interiorly-threaded bushing, and compresses the packing around theshank of the bolt.

This packing, it will be seen, serves to prevent the passage of livesteam from the space between the parts of the valve tothe chamber B.

In order to adjust the parts of the valve toward each other, the bolt ismade with a squared wrench-head, d, and a collar. e, which latter ismade convex upon its under side, and binds against thecorrespondingly-concaved upper face of the cap c of the stuffing-box,the connection here between the collar and the cap being made with aground joint to still further obviate the passage of steam.

E is the valve-rod, which is made rectangular between the parts of thevalve, and rounded beyond the same. The rectangular part of this rodpasses between the lugs of the parts of the valve, and through saidrectangular portion passes the perforated bolt C. F are spiral springs,which are four or more in number, and arranged in seats in rod E, two ofthem between rod E and the part A of the valve, and the other twobetween the rod E and the part A of the valve. These springs operate inan opposite direction to the adjustment of the perforated bolt, andserve to throw the two parts of the valve away from each other, and thushold them apart in their proper positions when the steam is not on.

The valve as thus described is arranged within a steam-chest, G, (shownin dotted lines,) which latter is provided with an opening closed by ascrew-plug, H, which plug may be removed to give access to the squaredend of the perforated bolt C, in order to permit the turning ofthelatter in effecting the adjustmentof the parts of the valve toward eachother. The said steam-chest may also be chambered out to give sufficientroom for the bolthead.

In relation to the merit of the perforation in the bolt C, it will beseen that in the steamspace about the valve in the steam-chest the areasof pressure upon the upper and lower parts of the valve are about thesame, and neutralize each other. When, however, the chamber B of thevalve connects an induc-l tion-port with the exhaust-port, as shown indotted lines in Fig. l, there is a pressure of exhaust-steam against thevalve, which tends to throw the valve out of balance, and causes it tobindagainst the opposite side ofthe steam-chest.

By perforating the bolt C throughout its entire length, and connectingthe chambers B and B', it will be seen that this pressure of theexhaust-steam is allowed to operate upon both sides of the valve, and,its eEect upon the valve being neutralized, the latter is kept inperfect balance.

I am aware of the fact that a perforated bolt is not broadly new inconnection with a balanced valve, and I do not claim the same exceptwhen combined with the valve and valve -'rod, as shown, and passing.directly through said rod, which arrangement serves to connect andsecure the valve-rod to the valve, so that the two parts of the samereceive more positive motion from the rod without aii'ecting theadjustability of the parts or interfering with the communication betweenthe equalizing-chambers.

Having thus described my invention, what' and the valve-rod E,.of theperforated bolt C, connecting the opposite chambers in the valve, andpassing directly through the valve-rod, substantially as described.

2. An exteriorly-threaded bushing located in the movable portion of' abalanced valve, and combined with the said movable portion and aconnecting-bolt, for the purpose de scribed.

3. The stuffing-box consisting of the interiorly and exteriorly threaded`bushing b and the threaded cap c, in combination with the bolt C andthe valve, substantially as an for the purpose described. g

4. The springs F, combined with the valvepieces A A', having guide-lugsa al, and a bolt, connecting the parts of the valve by means of ascrew-thread at one end and a collar at the other, substantially as andlfor the purpose described.

WILLIAM HARDwrcK.

Witnesses: p

CHARLES F. HIRT, THos. J. PARALINE.

